BALTIMORE – Sounding much like his late father, Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner said his team's offense has to snap out of its funk and he's optimistic the Yankees will return to the playoffs after a one-year absence.

Steinbrenner spoke at Major League Baseball's owners meetings before the Yankees wasted a two-run lead in a 5-3 loss to the first-place Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards, a few blocks away. The third-place Yankees dropped a season-high eight games off the AL East lead; they began the night 2½ games behind in the race for the AL's second wild card.

Steinbrenner was especially disappointed with the team's batters.

"They've got to step it up and they know it," Steinbrenner said.

The Yankees began the night tied for 19th with 471 runs, a disappointment given the offseason additions of Jacoby Ellsbury, Brian McCann and Carlos Beltran. Steinbrenner said the inconsistency "needs to change."

The Yankees' starting rotation has been decimated by injuries to Masahiro Tanaka, CC Sabathia, Ivan Nova and Michael Pineda, who returned Wednesday to make his first big-league appearance since April 23. Pineda was suspended for 10 games for using a foreign substance, then injured a right shoulder muscle. He looked good in his return, allowing one run on two hits with no walks and four strikeouts over five innings.

"The injuries have been as frustrating as they were last year," Steinbrenner said. "When you lose four of your starting pitchers by the All-Star game … it's going to have an impact."

The Yankees entered the day 61-57, the same record it had after 118 games last season. The Yankees finished fourth last year at 85-77, their poorest record since 1992.

Steinbrenner said there remains time for a late-season spurt.

"I am confident," he said.

Steinbrenner said he will wait until after the season to turn his attention to a new deal for Brian Cashman, whose contract is expiring. Cashman has been the Yankees' general manager since 1998.

Steinbrenner expects Alex Rodriguez will return to the Yankees next season after serving his one-year suspension for using banned performance-enhancing drugs.

Rodriguez, who turns 40 next July, is owed $61 million over the next three seasons.

As for Wednesday's loss, Jonathan Schoop and Adam Jones homered in a four-run eighth inning as Baltimore rallied for a two-game sweep of the rain-shortened series.

Limited to three hits through seven innings, Baltimore trailed 2-1 before Schoop tied it with a drive off Dellin Betances. Shawn Kelley (2-4) then gave up a single and a walk before Jones hit a shot into the bullpen area beyond the center-field wall.

As the ball dropped over the fence for his 23rd home run, Jones raised his right arm in triumph as he rounded first base.

Darren O'Day (4-1) worked the eighth and Zach Britton gave up a run in the ninth en route to his 25th save.

It was the eighth straight series win for the AL East-leading Orioles.

On the Web

Chad Jennings keeps you up to date on the Yankees with The LoHud Yankees Blog at yankees.lhblogs.com